Which bed is best for a newborn: types of beds, characteristics, comfort for the child, a useful orthopedic mattress, ensuring safety during sleep and wakefulness

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Determining which crib is best for a newborn is the main challenge for new parents who are expecting their baby. Many begin to think about it even before birth, others start searching when the baby is already born and they need to find a sleeping place for him urgently.

Basic Crib Requirements

On sale now you can find a large number of models and types of beds for newborns, made from a variety of materials, of any shape and purpose. Therefore, for young inexperienced parents, such a choice is quite difficult. When buying a "bed" for a baby, you should take into account not only your financial capabilities, but also the needs of the child and even his character.

Which crib is best for a newborn? The main requirements forchoice is the creation of a comfortable and safe living, namely:

1. The safety of the design itself, which includes: the exact distance between the bars, which should be 6-7 cm (so that the baby cannot stick his head in there); reliable fixation of the lowered grate and the absence of collapse (the most common injury among babies is damage to the fingers); the minimum height of the side rail is 50 cm to ensure that the baby does not fall out of the bed when he starts to move around.
2. Stability of the crib, which is ensured by stoppers to maintain balance when the child begins to move and stands up.
3. No risk of injury, including sharp corners and protruding parts, quality surface finish.
4. Furniture should be made of safe material: wooden cribs can have toxic varnish, so it is better to buy a model made of sanded wood or with overlays; all iron parts (nuts, screws, bolts) must be fully tightened. The main and most popular material from which cribs are made is wood, and there are also metal and plastic models. When purchasing a crib made of plastic, you should read the safety data sheet, as the material may be toxic.
5. Ergonomic parameters are characterized by the decision of the question, what is the best mattress for a newborn to use in a crib: from foam rubber or other materials. Also important is the presence of a slatted bottom in the bed, which is made to improve the flow of air to the mattress, good ventilation of it and the bed.baby.
6. Standard cot sizes for ages 0 to 3 are 120 x 60 cm, and there are also bassinet and side-mounted models designed for babies only.

Basic models for babies

In order to determine which crib is best for a newborn, you need to consider the wide range of models on offer, their advantages and disadvantages:

• classic models;
• cradles and cradles;
• attached to parent's bed;
• oval models;
• transformers.

Baby cradles and cradles for babies

Cradle is a lightweight and portable model that allows you to easily change the location of the baby's bed. With its shape and ease of use, it is the optimal answer to the question of which crib is best for a newborn. A small cradle can be placed right next to the mother in bed, which increases the psychological comfort of the baby. Its advantage is its compact size, in modern models there is an addition in the form of a motion sickness mechanism, which will ensure a restful sleep for the baby and mother. Many models fold easily.

The main disadvantage is a short period of use. It is suitable for a baby up to 4 months of age, then he grows up and ceases to fit in it or begins to fall out.

Classic cribs

Which is the best crib for a newborn? In reviewsparents say that the most popular and inexpensive models of cribs are wooden classic ones. Their cost is determined by the type of wood used (oak is the most expensive, birch is cheaper, etc.) The standard size is 120 x 60 cm.

Beds are usually completed with additional structural elements:

• wheels, easy to move around the room;
• one of the side walls can be lowered, which is convenient for mom and baby;
• bottom has several positions (2 - 5): it can be rearranged depending on the age of the child;
• many models have drawers at the bottom for storing bedding and baby clothes, which is convenient for parents.

Swing chairs

Rocking beds have arched runners at the bottom for swinging to the sides, which is convenient for mom, helping to rock the baby for the first months without much effort. The dimensions of such a crib are usually smaller than usual and are up to 130 cm in length. The design is more bulky, often breaks and creaks. However, as they grow older, it becomes a big minus: an older child can lean on the bars, tilt the bed and fall out.

Rocking chairs are of two types: longitudinal and transverse. Experts, exploring which crib pendulum is best for a newborn, came to the conclusion that it is transverse. It provides not only less harmful motion sickness, but also takes up minimal space in the room. An adult can easily rock such a crib with an amplitude of 6-15 cm.

One of the fashion trends of recent years is an electric rocking chair or a deck chair for babies. They allow you to set various parameters of motion sickness, vibration, include additional effects and sounds. Such beds-chaise lounges have an important advantage: there is a locking mechanism that will prevent the baby from rocking himself. However, they are only suitable for babies from 0 to 6 months, until the size of the child is larger than a chaise longue.

Bedside beds

For the first time such cribs appeared in the USA and were designed specifically for mothers who found it difficult to get up at night to the baby. The attached model is distinguished by the absence of one of the walls, which allows it to be moved close to the parent's bed and facilitates access to the mother for feeding and care. For safety, a reliable fastening to the parents' bed was made, an additional fabric side is provided that protects the baby from drafts, and the older one from accidental hits against the walls of the crib.

For new parents deciding which crib is best for their newborn, testimonials from experienced users highlight its benefits:

• mother is always there for the baby, can feed him, calm him down, hear his breathing (which will avoid problems with sleep apnea syndrome);
• parents have the opportunity to sleep together, which has a positive effect on family relationships;
• the baby is safe and no one will crush him during sleep;
• later it is easier to teach him to fall asleep on his own.

Models of side cribs vary in size: from 85 x 45 cm (for babies up to 4 - 5 months), 90 x 60 (for a baby up to 9 months), 120 x 60 cm (assumes use up to 3 years). There are also models that allow you to extend the life of the structure and use it for an older child in the form of a table and chair.

Custom shapes: oval and circle

In recent years, non-classical shaped beds have become popular: oval or round, similar in appearance to an arena. For the first time, such models were released in Germany, and then they began to conquer the Russian market. At first, the design can be used in the form of a small cradle, and then with the help of special inserts it can be turned into a bed for the baby. When deciding which crib is best for a newborn, you should learn about the pros and cons of such models.

Oval designs differ in the number of possible designs: 5 or 6 (cradle, bed, playpen, sofa, table with 2 chairs), has a rearranged bottom and removable sides. Standard dimensions for transformation: cradle 90 x 45, bed 120 x 60, for a preschooler 140 x 70 cm.

The main advantages of this form:

• no sharp corners, which reduces the risk of injury to the baby;
• provides a cozy space to sleep in;
• possibility of transforming several types of bed;
• depending on the desire after the child grows up, it can be converted into a set of table and chairs for the student.

Flaws:

• large size due to round shape;
• high price;
• when increasing the length, the width of the bed remains unchanged, so the bed can serve the child only up to primary school.

Oval models are usually equipped with 2 mattresses: for the cradle and bed.

Transformers

Which crib is best for a newborn? In the reviews, parents say that the largest and most practical models are transformers. Such designs are ideal for a family living in a small apartment, as they allow you to save space by buying several pieces of furniture at the same time: a bed, a changing table, a chest of drawers, shelves, etc.

When the child grows up, the front wall in the bed can be removed, the side parts can be dismantled. Special designs allow you to lengthen the crib or modify it to solve the problem with the baby's sleeping place up to almost 10 years of age. Other main parts can also be transformed: a changing table with a nightstand into a desk, a chest of drawers will become a separate piece of furniture, etc. The maximum size of a bed for a student: 164 x 67 x 74 cm, which allows it to be used by children up to almost 10-12 years.

There are several types of transformers depending on the structural elements: they can have boxes at the bottom and side, removable wheels and a pendulum mechanism. Production material: wood, plastic, MDF or chipboard (cheaper, but considered harmful).

Getting to buy and choosing,which bed is better for a newborn, according to parents, you should also know its disadvantages. Such models take up quite a lot of space compared to the usual ones: the standard dimensions are 1900 x 1200 x 680 cm, and they also have a high price.

Crib material selection

To decide which crib is best for a newborn, you should choose a more environmentally friendly material from which this piece of furniture is made. These include wood, which is traditionally considered the best material due to its breathable properties. The most optimal are: alder, birch, maple, less suitable - pine (due to softness, teeth marks may remain, because some mischievous people taste the crib).

Metal beds are considered the most durable. Therefore, when planning the birth of several children, such a bed will be the best option. To prevent the child from hitting the iron bars, you can use bumpers and silicone pads.

Plastic beds have a modern design and greater mobility. Most often they are bought in addition to the already existing classic options. Modern models are often made from combined materials, so when buying, it is recommended to ask for certificates for the material of manufacture.

Safety and structural elements

When choosing which crib is best for a newborn, you need to pay attention to the design elements and their possible injury risk:

• legs should increase stabilityconstruction, the bed must stand firmly on them;
• sides for the bed should be removable in order to be able to move the bed to the parents' bed;
• it is better to choose an adjustable bottom depth (usually they make 2 levels, but some manufacturers bring it up to 5), which will allow the mother to more conveniently manage (lay, turn and pick up) with the baby, and then, as he grows up, the bottom is lowered so that the child does not fall out; the standard depth of the top edge to the mattress is 65 cm, which is considered safe for a child standing in it;
• the distance between the side bars is optimally 5-6 cm (it is better to grab a ruler to the store), because there are uncertified cheap models with other sizes, which is dangerous for children's legs, arms and heads being pushed through;
• bottom should not be solid, but slatted;
• silicone pads on the crossbars will be useful when the baby starts teething, from which he begins to gnaw on all objects that come across;
• bedside tables and drawers built into the bed, chests of drawers are made specifically for folding clothes and many necessary gizmos for baby care, they are convenient for a small room, but they make the structure heavier and make it stationary.

Mattress in the crib for newborns: which one is better

When there are several children in a family, and the question arises of choosing a bed and a place for a new baby, then you can take an existing crib, but the mattress must be new. This is due to the requirements of hygiene, because it canaccumulate dust particles, germs and the smell of urine. Therefore, when deciding which mattress is best for a newborn in a crib, the main thing is its novelty.

A baby needs a mattress not only to sleep on it. Growing up, he will sit and walk on it, which will adversely affect the orthopedic properties. When buying, you need to pay attention to the size: the gap between the crib and the mattress should be no more than 1-2 cm.

You should know that experts recommend that babies sleep only on a hard, but in no case on a downy soft feather bed. This is because babies have soft bones. Therefore, up to 3 years, the child should sleep only on a hard mattress, then the spine will form correctly. There are special double-sided mattresses: at first, the baby sleeps on the denser side, then it can be turned over to the soft one.

When deciding in the store which mattress is best for a newborn in a crib, you should carefully read about its variety and filler. For children, springless models are best suited, including the following fillers: coconut coir; natural latex; dense polyurethane foam; buckwheat husk, etc.

If parents want to buy a spring mattress in a crib for newborns, then it is considered best to use an independent spring block. But Bonnel blocks are considered unsuitable, because they allow the spine to bend. In addition, they often do not have an insulating layer, and after a few months their surface is pressed through, and springs can climb out. Therefore, trying to save money can turn into trouble for the he alth of the child.

To protect the surface of the mattress from moisture and urine, it is recommended to wear a protective moisture-repellent cover or lay an ordinary oilcloth.

Bedding choices

In the first year of life, the baby will need the following items in the crib:

• quilt with 2-3 duvet covers (only natural fabrics are selected for linen), it is important that there are no buttons, patterns, stickers or rhinestones on the accessories that can get into the baby's mouth or rub delicate skin;
• thin orthopedic pillow or folded flannelette headband;
• 4-5 sheets;
• diaper (preferably rubber flannel coated);
• sides.

Choosing which blanket is best for a newborn in the crib is not difficult at all. Such an item is necessary only for the cold season; an acrylic product is considered the best option. In size, it should be larger than the mattress in order to tuck it in on the sides. There are also lightweight cotton blankets that are used to wrap up restless babies so they move around the bed less.

Another convenient and popular accessory for a child's bed is bumpers, i.e. flat pillows attached around the perimeter of the bed. They protect the baby from bruises and damage during active movement and impacts on the side bars or slats. They are made solid or 4-sided, which allows you to fix them only on the desiredside. The height is different and is chosen by the parents, based on the age of the baby and his comfort.

You can decide on a purchase, knowing what are the best bumpers in a crib for newborns, their pros and cons. The advantages include: protection against drafts and shocks, they will not allow toys, a pacifier or a bottle to fall out. The disadvantages include the possible accumulation of dust, but this is easily eliminated with frequent washing.

When choosing bumpers, parents should pay attention to the quality of the fabric (only natural) and filler (fiber or dense synthetic winterizer), practicality (to easily wash), colors and patterns. Preference should be given to calm tones and a variety of pictures, the contemplation of which will contribute to the development of the baby. There are models with pockets and effects, but you need to make sure that they are on the outside.

A detailed description of designs, materials and additional elements will help young parents decide which crib is best for a newborn, based on the right size, financial capabilities and personal preferences when choosing a model.